Final Fantasy VIII
Emerald Princess of Vernea
Chapter Twenty-Three
The train pulled into East Academy station. When the doors opened, Squall and his party disembarked. Nobody else got off the train after them, so the doors closed and train pulled out of the station, heading along the tracks in the direction of Dollet.
East Academy was not a proper train station, but a by-station built in the middle of the plains surrounding the great Obel Lake in the heart of the Timber area. There were no shelters or stops, or anything for that matter. It was just a simple platform for people to disembark.
It seemed unusual to place a train station in the middle of nowhere, but Rinoa explained that it was a perfect spot for those wanting to see the Obel Lake. It was also the only stop for those wanting to travel from Timber to Galbadia Garden, or vice versa, as there was no direct route between the two.
This was due to a number of reasons, but the main one was the Lalapalooza and Yaulny Canyons. The two great canyons formed a rocky barricade around the plains of Timber, separating the country from its neighbours. Railroads were built in places where the canyons did not quite meet, connecting Timber to places such as Deling City in Galbadia, and the Dollet Dukedom.
Between Timber and Galbadia Garden, the Lalapalooza Canyon formed an unbreakable barrier. There was only one gap in the walls where a railroad could have been built, but that path was blocked by a dense forest.
At one time, Timber had requested that the forest be cut down and a railroad built in its place, but the request was rejected by the Galbadian government. Though at the time it was claimed this was due to 'lack of resources', the truth of the matter was that the Galbadian government did not want the people of Timber to have easy access to Galbadia Garden. The plains and the forest were filled with monsters, so only those desperate enough to risk the dangers would make the long trek.
The SeeDs however, along with Rinoa, were a different matter. The SeeDs quickly found out that, unlike the rest of the Forest Owls, Rinoa was a very accomplished fighter. She wielded her Pinwheel with such accuracy and expertise that it was like a part of herself. Quistis's heart leapt each time the projectile came swooping back to Rinoa and reattached itself to the release mechanism. She tried to bring up her concerns with Rinoa, but the woman just laughed and ran on ahead with Angelo.
They also learned that Rinoa had not been exaggerating when she had told them of Angelo's skills. The dog was indeed battle-trained, taking out Rinoa's enemies just as quickly and efficiently as his mistress. Some monsters, such as the unfortunate Cockatrice, learned this the hard way. The bird ended up running off in retreat, with Angelo snapping at its heels.
After a few hours of walking across the plains, Squall called the group to a halt. They were still a few miles from the Lalapalooza Canyon, but time was passing and the sun was well into its downward arch. The swordsman informed them that they would make camp and continue the journey in the morning. At first Selphie had protested the stop, insisting they could carry on until nightfall. But as Squall and Quistis pointed out: it had been a long day, and they all needed to rest and recover.
Nighttime came more quickly than they expected. Within an hour of them setting up camp the sky began to darken, and an hour after that the sky was black with night.
Despite Selphie's claims that she was not in the least bit tired, the young woman was the first to fall asleep. She curled up in front of the small campfire they had dared to light, the chain of her Flail wrapped around her hands.
Zell was also asleep, sprawled out on the grass and snoring up at the stars. The fighter had seemed more like himself, for a time, but quickly retreated back into himself when the discussion turned of their plans for tomorrow. As soon as Selphie was asleep he excused himself from them, and went to his bed.
As for the others, they remained awake a while longer. As night fully settled in and the stars came out, Rinoa turned her eyes to the sky to watch them. She had thought the night sky in Timber beautiful, but the sky here in the plains was even more so. Away from artificial lights of the city, there was nothing to prevent the full glow of the stars. Thousands of stars she had never even seen before now littered the sky, some in clusters and others more spread out. There were no shooting stars this night, but she kept hoping, all the same.
Her dog was sitting by her side. Angelo's head was resting on his paws, sleeping soundly, though he kept one ear raised. Every so often he opened an eye, gazing up at Rinoa, before settling back into sleep.
Sitting across from Rinoa were Quistis and Squall. Quistis was poking at the campfire with a stick, keeping the embers burning. She had feared that lighting a fire would draw the monsters to them but as of yet, nothing had approached them.
Beside her, Squall was silent, as usual. At first the swordsman had busied himself by cleaning his gunblade of the dirt and grime that had gathered on the blade after their battles. He had also removed the gun barrel, cleaning it thoroughly. Now the blade lay at his side, the light of the flames reflecting off the metal, and Squall was staring into those same flames, lost in thought.
After a few minutes, Squall reached into his pocket and pulled out the miniature lamp that Headmaster Cid had given him before leaving Balamb. Holding it out to the light of the fire, he turned the miniature over in his hands. There was nothing particularly special about it. It just looked like a battered old kids' toy. A 'cursed item', the headmaster had called it. But if one with enough power uses it…
"Instructor…"
"Squall." Quistis gave him a reproving look. "I'm not your instructor anymore. I am a SeeD, just like you. Call me Quistis from now on."
Squall nodded, but said nothing. It was easy for her to say that, but it was hard for Squall not to think of her as anything but his instructor. Instead he avoided the issue and held out the miniature lamp. "Do you know anything about this?"
Quistis took the item from him. She too rolled it over in her hands, running her fingers over the dented metal. "No, I'm afraid I don't," she admitted. She gave the lamp back to Squall. "Where did you get it?"
"The headmaster gave it to me before we left Garden."
"I see…" Quistis looked thoughtful. "Maybe it has to do with that rumour…"
"Rumour…?"
"May I see it?" Rinoa interrupted. Squall shifted over and handed her the lamp. Rinoa then gave the lamp a close inspection, turning it over and holding it out to the light of the fire. "It looks like a toy," she concluded.
Normally, Squall would have agreed with her. However, on this occasion, he shook his head. "I think the headmaster gave it to me for a reason," he said. "But he didn't say what it was, or what I should do with it."
Rinoa held the lamp up to light. "Maybe you should rub it," she suggested, giggling.
A sceptical look crossed Quistis's face, and she waved her hand. "Please," she said. "Those are just old folktales. Do you expect a genie to come out?"
"It's worth a shot!" Rinoa said. She ran her fingers over the lamp. A faint golden light glimmered underneath her fingertips as she moved them across.
Seeing the glow, Squall's eyes widened. "Rinoa, stop!" he called, but it was too late.
The glow beneath Rinoa's fingers faded. A dark shadow passed over the lamp, its battered, golden surface turning dark. A dark vapour rose out of the lamp's nozzle, spilling over Rinoa's fingers like liquid. The mist was cold, chilling her fingers. Beside her, Angelo raised his head and sniffed. He growled, baring his teeth.
Rinoa dropped the lamp and scrambled backwards over the grass. The lamp, now on the floor, began to release its dark mist over the ground. It moved like a shadow, a living shadow, which moved and stretched over the ground. Squall and Quistis were on their feet and reaching for their weapons. The shadow passed beneath them, covering the grass.
The shadow continued to spread. It reached the campfire, and as they watched the shadow seemed to reach up and cover the flames. The light of the fire died, disappearing in an instant and leaving them in darkness. The shadow touched the ground again and carried on towards Zell and Selphie, still asleep on the ground.
"Zell! Selphie!" Quistis called.
Selphie stirred and raised her head, but before she could say anything the shadow swept up and over her, and she vanished from sight. A moment later Zell also disappeared, smothering them in darkness. The shadows grew thicker and rose up and over the three until they blocked out the night sky, trapping them inside.
"Wh-What's going on?" Rinoa asked in alarm. She climbed to her feet.
Nobody answered her. They looked around, but they could see nothing apart from each other. Squall reached out a hand to touch the shadow, but his hand grasped nothing. It was as though the shadows themselves had formed an entire new existence, and they were trapped inside of it.
Angelo continued to growl. Then his nose twitched, and the dog turned his head up towards the unseen sky. He started to bark.
Everyone looked up. There was something up there amongst the shadow, heading down towards them. A cold chill descended with it. Whatever it was up there, it was not likely to be friendly. Squall tightened his grip on the gunblade's hilt. Was this the great power the headmaster had talked about?
The creature drew closer, and as it neared its features became more distinguishable. It could have been mistaken for a demon, for its appearance resembled that of one
It had a tall, body with a muscular torso and long and slender legs ending in claw-tipped feet. Lithe arms hung at its sides, also tipped with pointed claws. Horns rose on either side of a head that was pointed, with a sharp, jutting chin. Two large wings protruded from its shoulder-blades, beating in a gentle rhythm as it descended. Its body was mostly black, but its torso and the inside of its wings, along with various other patches on its body, were tinged a deep red: the colour of blood. The creature settled, its eyes closed, on the ground. Its feet hovered a few inches off the floor.
Quistis peered closed at the creature. Then she gasped. "…Diablos!"
Rinoa turned to her. "Diablos…?" she repeated.
Quistis nodded. "He's a Guardian Force, almost legendary." She then shook her head. "I've only ever read about him. So it was true, after all. To think that the headmaster had possession of this GF, all this time…"
Her words trailed away. Squall turned his eyes to the Guardian Force. Diablos… Squall could not say he had ever heard of this GF before. The number of Guardian Forces in the world was vast, perhaps uncountable. There were so many GF whose existence remained a secret. This Diablos was one of those.
Looking at the GF, Squall could feel the power radiating from his body. It pulsed through the shadows like a heartbeat, as though his very life force was derived from those shadows. Again, the headmaster's words echoed in Squall's mind. 'A cursed item'… Yes, Squall could see why the lamp had been called a cursed item, to be able to hold a GF of this power.
Diablos's wings beat in time to the rhythmic pulses moving through the shadows. He then moved and raised his head. He opened his lids, revealing terrifying red eyes. The sight of those blood-red eyes sent a chill down Rinoa's spine.
"Who dares disturb my sleep?" he asked. His voice was deep and guttural and it echoed, although there were no visible walls for the sound to bounce off.
Diablos looked around. While his head turned this way and that, Squall stepped forward and stood before him. The GF turned his head, and his red eyes settled on Squall. They narrowed.
"A human…?" Diablos's gaze turned as Quistis walked up and stood next to Squall. After a moment Rinoa joined them, with Angelo by her side. "I see…" the GF continued, turning his gaze back to Squall. "You must be Cid's students. So it is time… Very well." The GF raised his arms. He stretched the sleep from his body, and his leathery wings creaked as the extended out to their full length. "It is demeaning to serve a human master, however… Prove your strength and your worth to me, humans, and I will grant you my power. Prepare yourself… humans!"
Diablos raised his hand. He held it high over his head and spread his fingers. In the middle of his palm, a ball of purple-black energy began to glow. The GF smiled, his jaw widening to reveal sharp teeth.
"…Demi."
Recognising the name of the spell, Squall turned to Quistis and Rinoa. "Spread out!" The swordsman then ran to the left, while Quistis and Rinoa headed right.
Diablos thrust out his arm and released the energy ball. Like a beacon it homed in on them, turning in the direction of Quistis and Rinoa. Rinoa, with Angelo at her heels, pulled ahead. The ball struck Quistis from behind and pulled her back. It lifted her off the ground and then swept over her, smothering her in its dark light.
Squall stopped and looked back. He saw Quistis hovering, encased in the ball. "Instructor!" he called.
Inside the ball, Quistis struggled. The ball began to contract, and Quistis cried out. Her body began to distort, compressing and pulling out of shape by the energy that held her. Her image stretched out and then returned to its normal shape, before the ball burst and the instructor was thrown clear. She crashed onto the ground, rolled over and over, before she came to a stop. Dark, shifting patches covered her skin and her clothing, and stray lengths of her blond hair floated around her head, charged with static energy.
The instructor tried to stand, then winced and clutched at her torso where the heart of the ball had struck her. She dropped to her knees. After a moment she waved her hand at Squall, to indicate that she was all right.
Squall nodded and turned back to Diablos. His battle-trained mind raced. So the GF was one that used gravity-based magic. That made things difficult. Gravity magic was hard to defend against, since it affected the gravity levels of an immediate area. The only way to defend against a magic attack of this type was to avoid it, or get so close to the caster that they could not cast without risking damage to themselves.
As Diablos turned towards him Squall raised his sword, deciding to go for the latter. "Rinoa!" he called to the woman, standing behind Diablos. "Cover me!"
Rinoa stared at him. Seeing his serious face, she nodded and raised her arm. "All right," she said. She laid her free hand on the release mechanism for her Pinwheel.
Diablos was waiting. When Rinoa signalled that she was ready, Squall charged. The GF saw him coming. Beating his wings, he rose a few more feet off the floor and then surged forward to meet him. The GF drew back his fist, closing his fingers, and another ball of magnetic energy started to form around his palm.
Squall braced himself as he drew back his own weapon. Silently calling on Ifrit's power, flames dashed across the blade. They spread quickly, until the blade was sheathed in a fiery armour. Squall felt the heat of the flames burning through his gloves, but he would not let go. He jumped at Diablos, his sword raised over his head. The GF, in response, raised his arm, preparing to strike.
There was a click and then a flash as Rinoa released her Pinwheel. The projectile shot through the air and struck Diablos on the side of his head, knocking the GF off course. He lost control of the Demi ball, which fell from his hand and diffused back into the shadows. Diablos stopped, shaking his head.
With Diablos off his guard, Squall altered the attack angle of his blade, switching it from a slicing position to a forward thrust. The swordsman skidded to a stop in front of the GF, drew back his flame-covered blade, and then thrust it forward.
Catching sight of the flames, Diablos twisted his body to the left. The blade slid past him, scraping past his side. The flames burned hot across his leathery skin, and the blade's heated edge sliced a thin line through his flesh.
In retaliation, Diablos reached out and grabbed hold of the sword's blade. The flames danced over his hands but did not seem to harm him. The GF then yanked the sword out of Squall's grip. He threw it, and sent the sword clattering to the ground. The flames covering the blade flickered and died out. The GF then turned back to Squall and swiped his clawed hand…
There was a loud crack and Diablos's hand stopped just inches in front of Squall's face. Around Diablos's wrist, the long length of a whiptail was wrapped tight. Diablos turned his gaze and saw that Quistis had snuck in from the side when the GF's attention was diverted. The former instructor was half keeled over, with one hand on her stomach while she wielded the whip with the other. The whiptail stretched tight, keeping Diablos's hand from moving.
Diablos looked at Quistis with a look of anger that was mixed with approval, impressed by her determination. Even though she was winded and in pain, she pushed aside that pain to aide her comrade.
He was impressed, yes, but it took more than determination to win Diablos over.
To his other side, Rinoa released her projectile once again. Turning his head, Diablos watched the projectile as it sped through the air towards him. The GF pulled his head back, but felt the bladed edge slice across face. Rinoa then shouted a command at Angelo, who bounded forward.
When the dog neared Diablos he leaped. With a swipe of his hand the GF threw him to one side, and the dog yelped as he landed. The GF then turned back to Quistis. He closed his fingers around the tail of the whip and tugged. Quistis jerked forward and the whip handle slipped from her grasp. Diablos pulled it towards him.
Since his sword was out of his reach, Squall stepped back away from Diablos. Using his mind to call out to Quezacotl, he channelled Thunder magic into his palms. His fingertips started to crackle, and when Squall thrust out his hand a bolt of lightning burst out. Diablos raised his arm as the bolt struck. Smoke rose from the GF's arm, followed by the scent of burning flesh. Diablos, unflinching, lowered his arm. The bolt had done nothing but leave a singed mark on the red flesh. Diablos's mouth split into a wide grin before the GF swung his arm and knocked Squall off his feet. The swordsman hit the ground and skidded towards Quistis.
With Squall out of the way, Diablos turned back to Rinoa. The woman fumbled with her weapon, preparing to release the projectile. Switching Quistis's whip to his other hand, Diablos raised it and gave it a sharp crack. He channelled his own energy into the weapon, and as he cracked it the tip flashed with dark energy. The energy was released as the whip snapped and shot towards Rinoa, trapping her before she had a chance to raise her weapon.
Instead of crushing her like he had done with Quistis, Diablos raised the whip high over his head. As the whip was raised Rinoa too was lifted off the ground. Diablos then turned and cracked the whip behind him, and as the whip moved Rinoa moved also. The whiptail flashed a second time as it cracked and the ball holding Rinoa vanished, releasing her. The woman hit the ground hard, almost bouncing, and rolled over the floor.
Seeing her fall, Squall jumped back to his feet and ran after her. Rinoa came to a stop and Squall knelt down beside her. The woman's hair was strewn over her face, and she had the same dark patches on her skin and clothing that Quistis had. Rinoa did not move and lay still. Squall gave her a shake.
"Are you all right?" he asked. He shook her again.
Rinoa shuddered and then jerked awake. She sat up and then held her head as it pounded from the impact. "I'm all right," she said. Squall cast his hand over her, and green light glimmered and fell like rain. The dark patches left by the Demi magic faded, and Rinoa's head stopped pounding. Rinoa nodded and accepted his hand as he pulled her to her feet. Stepping away from him, Rinoa released her Pinwheel.
Squall watched her, appraising her. Despite that how hard she tried to hide it, he saw that Rinoa was trembling; she was afraid.
It was no surprise. Rinoa did not have the training that SeeD had. SeeD were trained for battle. They were taught how to enter a battle without fear or, if they could not hide it, keep it from being shown to the enemy. When an enemy knew they were afraid, that was when they had a hold over them. Eliminate the fear and eliminate their hold. That philosophy had been drilled into every SeeD.
Rinoa did not have this training. That was why she could not effectively hide her fear. Yet she was determined to hide it, facing Diablos with a brave dace. That was probably because of him and Quistis, and Zell and Selphie, too. Rinoa was not a SeeD, but she did not want to appear afraid in front of them.
"Well," said Rinoa, her back still to him, "are you going to sit there and let your client fight for you, Mr. SeeD?"
Silent, Squall rose to his feet. Looking around, he saw that his gunblade lay a few feet away. The swordsman walked over to the gunblade and picked it up. He ran his gloved fingers along the blade; it was cool.
He looked over at Diablos. The GF was looking over at him and Rinoa. That malicious grin was still on his face, but Squall got the feeling that the smile was more for show. As with Ifrit, who tested students for potential SeeD candidates, Diablos was doing the same. He allowed them to make their moves, judging their attacks and returning them with his own, so as to gauge their responses. Even as he watched, Diablos threw Quistis's whip back to her. He beat his wings, waiting.
Squall took this moment to look him over, recalling his training to assess an opponent before striking.
Diablos was a gravity-based GF, using gravity-type magic. That meant that Diablos could attack up close as well as from far away. He was strong, physically, but his body was lithe to indicate speed. His wings would give him further movement, so he could attack from the air as well as on the ground. An opponent with such advantages should be a formidable one.
Yet, Squall started to realise, Diablos had not been that difficult an opponent. The GF had barely moved from the spot from where he had landed, making use of his speed. His attacks, although painful, were not overwhelming, and his reaction time seemed to be slow.
The swordsman's mind started to race. There was something that was slowing Diablos down. Could it be that the years he had spent sleeping in the lamp had caused his abilities to weaken? If that was the case, Squall concluded, that slow reaction time would be in their favour. In fact, it would be the key to bringing him down. Diablos was just quick enough to defend against one of them, maybe even two. But if they were to all attack together…
"Rinoa," he said, coming to stand beside her. "Run in from his left-hand side."
Rinoa looked back at him. "Why?"
"We're going to attack him together. Surround him, and leave him no room to counter-attack."
Rinoa did as he bade her and ran around to Diablos's left-hand side. The GF's eyes followed her as she moved but made no attempt to stop her. Her dog, Angelo, ran beside her, but the woman put out her hand and the dog sat down. Diablos then turned his eyes and watched as Quistis, after a signal from Squall, ran over to his right-hand side. The swordsman himself took up his position in front of Diablos, forming a three-way attack formation.
The GF looked at the three as they stood around him. He waited for them to move.
Squall raised his sword. "Now!"
On his command, the three charged at Diablos. As they approached the GF spread his arms, and balls of Demi magic began to form in each hand. He released them, throwing one at Squall and one at Rinoa. Rinoa managed to dodge the first ball but the second one burst near to Squall. The air around it contracted as reality itself seemed to bend. The swordsman felt its pull on him but fought against it. He managed to break free and continued his charge.
Grunting in annoyance, Diablos brought his palms together. He channelled all of his energy into his hands, preparing to use his ultimate attack.
Before he could use it there was the crack of a whip and a whiptail wrapped around Diablos's hands. The GF's hands were tugged right, and the sparks of energy that had started to form between them died out. Quistis put her free hand around the whiptail, holding it firmly so that Diablos could not pull it from her again. She pulled on the whip, pulling Diablos's hands towards her.
Beating his wings, Diablos tried to pull free. The GF started to rise up but then jerked forward as Rinoa's Pinwheel came at him from the left. It sharp edge ripped across his left wing, tearing a gaping hole in the already frayed wings. Diablos settled back down on the floor, and at Rinoa's whistle Angelo ran from her side and dived in. The dog clamped his jaws around the GF's ankle, yanking him firmly onto the ground. The GF looked down at the dog and kicked his leg, but Angelo would not budge. He tried to raise his hands to swipe the dog away, but Quistis's whip held them trapped.
Suddenly the GF gave a jolt and he froze, a wave of pain shooting through his body. The GF coughed, and a deep shudder went through him. He looked down. The blade of a sword was stuck in his gut, going all the way through him. Instead of blood, a black, shadowy substance leaked out of the wound and drifted over the blade.
Diablos raised his head. In front of him, Squall stared back with a fierce resolve, his gaze unwavering. Diablos cursed himself for his foolishness. The swordsman had been coming at him from the front; he should have been the least obvious. Yet the distractions from the other two, and the dog, had caused him to momentarily forget that he was there. Now Squall's sword was stuck through him: a simple, efficient blow to finish him off.
Diablos met Squall's gaze and saw no fear there. Now Diablos understood why Cid had passed on the lamp that contained and controlled his power. The GF was not fond of humans and deigned to serve them. It had taken the headmaster of Garden a long time to win the GF over. In the end, an agreement was made between the two, which stated that Diablos would serve human masters, but only those he deemed to be worthy of his power.
Squall withdrew his sword. After a moment Quistis tugged on her whip, and the whiptail unwound from Diablos's hands. The GF's arms fell limp at his sides. Diablos coughed. More of the cloudy substance drifted out of his grinning mouth.
It was a shame, Diablos thought. He would have liked to have tested these humans further, to show them his true might. However…
"Too much sleep…" he muttered. "Too weak…" The years he had spent sleeping inside the lamp had dulled his senses and his powers. It irritated him that it had done such, and that he had succumbed so easily. It could not be helped. Yet Diablos felt that even if he had fought at full strength, these humans could still have bested him.
Maybe.
Diablos raised his right hand and held it out, the palm face up. Squall came forward and rested his own hand in Diablos's. Quistis did the same, standing beside him.
Diablos then looked over at Rinoa, who had not yet come forward. The woman looked down, unsure, and then came over to stand next to Quistis. After a moment's hesitation, she too placed her hand in Diablos's.
When the spirit pact began, Rinoa stiffened. Unlike Squall and Quistis, she had never channelled a Guardian Force before, or used magic. She had expected the bonding of GF to human to be an unnerving experience, yet to her surprise it was nothing more than the passing sensation of thoughts as they moved through her mind. As the pact was completed, Rinoa's own thoughts raced through her mind. She was not even a SeeD, so was it right that she should accept the power of one?
Diablos's thoughts answered her question for her. You fought alongside them. SeeD or no, you have proved yourself capable. You have the potential to be strong. Use my power well, human. Then the voice was silent, and the pact was complete.
Diablos's body faded, returning to the shadows from which he had come. When he was gone the shadows too began to dissolve. The sky and the plain reappeared, along with Zell and Selphie, who cried out in amazement. The shadows retreated back inside the lamp, still lying on the grass. When the last of the shadows were inside the lamp it disappeared, fading into nothing.
Selphie ran over to them. "Are you all right!" she demanded. "What happened? Are you guys hurt? Rinoa, you look a little pale, are you okay?"
Squall said nothing and sheathed his gunblade. Quistis, meanwhile, put her hands on her hips and shook her head, sighing.
"Well," she began, "maybe next time you'll just look and not touch. Right, Rinoa?"
Rinoa did not reply. Quistis turned to her. She saw that Rinoa was just standing there, staring at her hand. Quistis smiled, correctly guessing that this was Rinoa's first up close encounter with Guardian Forces. Now that she had a GF of her own, she would be able to use para-magic like any other member of SeeD. A whole new world of abilities would be open to her now. Summoning GFs, and using magic. Still smiling, she turned to Squall.
The swordsman, however, turned away from her. At least he knew what the lamp did now. "Let's get some sleep," he said.
Quistis nodded and sat back down at the grass. She looked up at Rinoa who, after a moment, sat down again, continuing to stare at her hand. Quistis laughed.
Zell and Selphie looked from one to the other, bewildered. Selphie tilted her head. "I… don't get it."
When the sun came up the next morning, the companions cleared up their camp and continued on their journey to Galbadia Garden.
Now that Rinoa had a GF, Quistis entered what Selphie had nicknamed 'Instructor Mode'. The former SeeD instruct began to explain to Rinoa how to call on the GF in battle, and how to stock on and use various types of para-magic. Rinoa listened attentively, and asked Quistis many questions.
After consulting with Squall, Quistis allowed Rinoa to form pacts with the other Guardian Forces: Shiva, Quezacotl, Ifrit, and also Siren, whom Squall had obtained from Dollet. With these additional GF at her disposal, Quistis told Rinoa, she would find battle a much easier and exhilarating experience. Rinoa was thrilled.
She had a chance to test her new gifts along the way to the canyon. Another Cockatrice, possibly the same one that had attacked the day before, approached them. Without even being told what to do, Rinoa cast Fire into her Pinwheel, transforming it into a flaming projectile. The Pinwheel had struck the Cockatrice, which shrieked as it fell into flames. With a wave of her hand, the Pinwheel returned to her, and the flames subsided. Quistis, awestruck at how quickly Rinoa adapted to the use of magic, proclaimed that Rinoa must have a 'natural' talent.
They headed along the plains. The grass started to thin and fade away, until it became the dry and dusty ground of the Lalapalooza Canyon. As the sun rose higher in the sky so did the temperature, with the sun's heat rising from the rocks.
The forest lay in a rift along the canyon wall. It was impossible to miss, for its tall, green trees were visible from even a few miles away. The companions headed towards it, and as they approached they saw that a natural path had formed by the entrance, leading into the forest.
The companions entered the forest, relieved to be out of the glare of the morning sun. All around them the forest was filled with life. The trees grew tall and packed together, with the treetops forming wide canopies to shield the ground from the sun's glare. Some light filtered down through the canopy, making dancing patterns on the grass.
There were few monsters inhabiting the forest, but it was abundant in wildlife. Selphie cried out in excitement as she spotted a deer grazing nearby. Of course, as soon as she cried out the deer jumped in alarm and ran away.
They carried on through the forest. After nearly hour of walking the end of the forest was in sight. Less than a mile ahead, through the dense trees, they caught a glimpse of bright sunlight. Quistis pointed towards it and said: "We're not too far from Galbadia Garden now!" They walked on.
Selphie stopped as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Heeey," she said. The others also stopped and turned to her. "I was just thinking… There might be some bad news from the Galbadian government. What if we get caught and then get broadcast to the whole world…!" The young woman put her hands to her cheeks, flushed at the thought.
Squall sighed and put his hand to his head. Was that all Selphie was worried about?
Until that moment, Zell had remained quiet. Any attempts at conversation to draw him out of his gloom had ended in failure even by Selphie. Now, however, the fighter spun around and ran to Selphie, his fists clenched and his face angry.
"Whatever happens, happens!" he snapped. "Now, come on! Let's just keep going!"
Selphie flinched, just like the deer from earlier. Seeing the shock on the girl's face, Zell lowered his fists and stepped back from her.
"I, I'm worried about Balamb Garden," he said, by way of explanation. The fighter sagged, his face miserable. He shook his head. "If anything happens to Garden, it's all my fault. I'm the one who said we were all from Garden."
Selphie reached out to touch Zell's shoulder. Brushing her hand away, the fighter ran over to Squall. "You think the president will retaliate on Garden?" he asked, his face earnest.
Squall turned away and folded his arms. "Maybe," he answered.
At this Zell sagged again. "…Figures…" he mumbled. He started to turn away, but then he suddenly turned back and grabbed Squall's jacket, shaking him. "B-B-But, we have a whole bunch of SeeDs at Balamb Garden!" he protested. "They wouldn't lose to the Galbadian army, would they?"
"Depends on how strong the army is," Squall responded.
"I know," Zell said, "but…" His words fell silent. Misery returned to his face. He let go of Squall and turned away. He tried to clench his fists to salvage some spark of hope, but it slipped away. His fists unclenched, and he sagged once more. Selphie too turned away, her own face masked by worry.
Rinoa watched the exchange with growing frustration. She watched as Squall—callously, to her mind—brushed Zell aside. When she saw Zell appear to give up hope, it just made her livid. She turned to Squall, a scowl on her face.
"Oh, you're just a great leader, aren't you…" she said, making no attempt to hide the sarcasm from her voice. She walked towards Squall and Zell, sensing her anger, quickly stepped out of her way. Rinoa stood in front of Squall and glared up at him. "Do you actually have fun acting so callous towards your comrades?"
Squall sighed. …Not again, he thought to himself.
"Zell wants your support."
I knew it was gonna be something like that…
"Any kind of encouragement will make…"
That's just to ease your mind. Am I the only one who thinks that? No, I'm sure Seifer…
His thoughts were interrupted as Rinoa, overcome by her anger, stamped her foot. "Don't you ever worry or even think about the wellbeing of your comrades!"
I don't believe in relying on others, Squall thought, though he would not say this out loud.
"Don't you understand!" Rinoa stamped her foot again.
…Whatever.
"Are you listening, Squall?"
Before Squall could think any further, it happened. A loud whistle rang inside his head, hitting him so hard that he physically shuddered and staggered forward. Alarmed, Rinoa stepped back from him. The whistle grew louder and with it came the familiar pressure of something trying to force its way through his mind. Squall put his hands to his ears, trying to blot out the terrible sound.
…What the! Squall shook his head. He keeled over, clutching at his head. …This sensation…
It was the same as before, just as it happened on the train from Balamb. Squall's vision started to blur, and the pressure was replaced by a strange, light-headed feeling, urging him to sleep.
He was aware of Rinoa calling his name. He tried to look up at her, but his body would not respond. The white fog smothered his vision, and Rinoa's voice echoed into nothing. Squall fell, feeling nothing as he hit the ground.
Rinoa, meanwhile, had no idea what had just happened. One second she had been reprimanding Squall and the next, he had just… collapsed! Recovering from her initial shock and her anger gone, she knelt down besides the swordsman. Squall lay still, slumped on the grass. Reaching out, she pulled back his brown hair and looked at his face. He looked peaceful, as though he was asleep.
"Uhh…"
The groan came from Quistis. Rinoa looked up as the instructor also put her hand to her head. She stepped forward, staggered, and then fell down onto the grass. Rinoa gasped. Zell ran to Quistis's side.
Selphie, also, could hear the whistle. She took a shaky step forward as she tried to keep her eyes open, but the desperate need for sleep was rapidly overcoming her.
"M… Me, too…" she managed to say, before she too fell facedown onto the grass.
Zell left Quistis's side and ran over to her. He pulled back her hair. As he expected, she seemed to be fast asleep, just like Quistis, and he knew that Squall would be the same.
"What's going on!" Rinoa demanded, her voice fearful.
Zell could only shake his head. "I think…" he said. "They went to the 'dream world'."
Rinoa opened her mouth to speak, but then she shut it and looked down at Squall. She had no idea what was going on, and she got the feeling that Zell did not know either. There was nothing neither she nor Zell could do now except to wait.
Wait for them to wake up again.
[End of Part Two]
Coming Next: [Dream World: Centra Excavation Site]